The Texan
Home ... Toquerville, UT .. Summer ... Cascade, ID
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Darn, all you young pups are starting to make this alltimer feel old....![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin") ....I was around well before WW-II and I can still answer the call, when the bell rings.....![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile") ...I retired from my 1st job 34 years ago.
Bob & Betsy - USN Aviation Ret'd '78 & LEO Ret'd '03 & "Oath Keeper Forever"
2005 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, '11 Silverado LT, Ex Cab 6.2L NHT 4x4, w/2017 Rzr 4-900 riding in 16+' enclosed trailer in back.
Where the wheels are stopped today
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SlickWillie
Coastal Bend Texas
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Joined: 12/01/2006
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gktsuda1956 wrote:I don't mean to be a jerk, but I think all you gate guards are being taken advantage of. Of course they're gonna stop by and give you turkeys and hams, etc. Cause they are getting good CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP labor. Labor that's not even minimum wage for some of you.
I think you should communicate/demand a better wage scale. Some type of sliding scale. 8 hour a day pay (at least minimum wage) for every day you sit on the gate, trucks or no trucks. And that minimum wage ends at 40 hours. Then it's time and a half if you got trucks thru the gate. That's what a union plumber gets after 40 hours. Based on a 0700 to 1700 work schedule. Any gate work outside those hours is "non-normal work hours" which would be sometype of sliding increase. If you are sitting on the gate on a Saturday, 8 hours at time and a half. If you are sitting on a gate on Sunday or a holiday, double time.
This is the OIL INDUSTRY. One of the greediest money making organizations out there. Look at the profits these companies are making. Look at what they pay those roughnecks.
They have SCORED BIG TIME, finding a segment of the population, retired RVers, etc., they can take advantage of. They're laughing all the way to the bank. They got you guys sitting in the mud, heat, dust for peanuts.
It's just a matter of time. The DOL is on top of this issue. C+K Rentals in Cuero, TX was hit with with over $400K in back pay last summer. (and paid it) GGS bought some time with their law suit, but from the expert (attorney) opinions I've read, DOL will eventually get them too.
That being said, I could care less what they pay. I say if you don't like the pay, hitch up and go. I must say tho, the money is there. I spoke with an 80 year young gentleman that has 1500 acres (not sure how many wells), and he is knocking down 10 grand per day. That's a lot of cash. He told me he farmed for about 50 years, always having to live on borrowed money. Said he paid everything off, and told the bank to kiss his ***. He also said his son and DIL are spending it for him.
Will
2013 Chevy CC D/A 3500 4X4
2012 Rushmore 38CK
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westernrvparkowner
montana
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Joined: 11/29/2008
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gktsuda1956 wrote:I don't mean to be a jerk, but I think all you gate guards are being taken advantage of. Of course they're gonna stop by and give you turkeys and hams, etc. Cause they are getting good CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP labor. Labor that's not even minimum wage for some of you.
I think you should communicate/demand a better wage scale. Some type of sliding scale. 8 hour a day pay (at least minimum wage) for every day you sit on the gate, trucks or no trucks. And that minimum wage ends at 40 hours. Then it's time and a half if you got trucks thru the gate. That's what a union plumber gets after 40 hours. Based on a 0700 to 1700 work schedule. Any gate work outside those hours is "non-normal work hours" which would be sometype of sliding increase. If you are sitting on the gate on a Saturday, 8 hours at time and a half. If you are sitting on a gate on Sunday or a holiday, double time.
This is the OIL INDUSTRY. One of the greediest money making organizations out there. Look at the profits these companies are making. Look at what they pay those roughnecks.
They have SCORED BIG TIME, finding a segment of the population, retired RVers, etc., they can take advantage of. They're laughing all the way to the bank. They got you guys sitting in the mud, heat, dust for peanuts. Yep, great idea, unionize, and sue your way out of a job. If it gets to be expensive enough, they can surely find another way to secure the gate other than have an unarmed retiree sitting there. Cameras and a central security office with electronic locks on an electronic gate comes to mind. Force the wages up, with overtime, double time, holiday pay, etc. you can bet at the very least the duties will change. If I was paying double time, you can bet that sitting in the RV watching TV between arrivals will no longer be acceptable. I am sure there are lots of tasks an hourly employee being paid in excess of $15.00 and hour could be required to do along with watching the gate. Somehow I don't feel this is a boat that needs to be rocked. I haven't seen many posts on gate guarding where the guards are unhappy or forced to be there.
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glenntwo
Nowhere
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GGup wrote:Virgin Mobile...well, I guess we need a WiFi signal first...Duh.. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/doh.gif "doh")
Since we have none that does not work. Why the Air Card does and what frequency it is on is my mystery. In the mornings like now I have reception on it and maybe at night. I know the skip of the signal but there seems NO WAY to boost that reception.
So until I get a WiFi signal looks like the Air Card of AT%T is the best we will do until we go to town and use the local cafe/bar WiFi in BIG WELLS. Could be worse...have to go get the mail anyway so just take the computer with me if the signal was lost before I got done in the morning.
So if anyone else has any ideas let me know. I have looked into Hughes Net but they want a permanent pole and then $150 or more service call IF I move. So have ruled that out for now.
Are you getting a signal with your Virgin Mobile? If you are, then what you need to do is go to Radio Shack and get one of their smart phones and get a wi-fi app for it. I have the LG Optimus V (droid phone)on their network and it's great. Downloaded an app for wifi that was free, and now whenever I want to use my laptop, I just crank up the wifi on my phone. As long as I have a Cell signal, I can get wifi.
VM is cheap too. I pay $43.50 a month for 1200 minutes, unl. texting, and unl. data. No contract, and the phone was 129 at Radio Shack. It's the Sprint net so it should be good just about anywhere.
Sorry I'm responding to a quote from over a month ago, but I just found this thread and I'm trying to get up to speed.
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GGup
SE, South Dakota
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Joined: 06/03/2003
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weternrvparkowner wrote:gktsuda1956 wrote:
I don't mean to be a jerk, but I think all you gate guards are being taken advantage of. Of course they're gonna stop by and give you turkeys and hams, etc. Cause they are getting good CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP labor. Labor that's not even minimum wage for some of you.
I think you should communicate/demand a better wage scale. Some type of sliding scale. 8 hour a day pay (at least minimum wage) for every day you sit on the gate, trucks or no trucks. And that minimum wage ends at 40 hours. Then it's time and a half if you got trucks thru the gate. That's what a union plumber gets after 40 hours. Based on a 0700 to 1700 work schedule. Any gate work outside those hours is "non-normal work hours" which would be sometype of sliding increase. If you are sitting on the gate on a Saturday, 8 hours at time and a half. If you are sitting on a gate on Sunday or a holiday, double time.
This is the OIL INDUSTRY. One of the greediest money making organizations out there. Look at the profits these companies are making. Look at what they pay those roughnecks.
They have SCORED BIG TIME, finding a segment of the population, retired RVers, etc., they can take advantage of. They're laughing all the way to the bank. They got you guys sitting in the mud, heat, dust for peanuts.
Westernrvparkowner posted:
Yep, great idea, unionize, and sue your way out of a job. If it gets to be expensive enough, they can surely find another way to secure the gate other than have an unarmed retiree sitting there. Cameras and a central security office with electronic locks on an electronic gate comes to mind. Force the wages up, with overtime, double time, holiday pay, etc. you can bet at the very least the duties will change. If I was paying double time, you can bet that sitting in the RV watching TV between arrivals will no longer be acceptable. I am sure there are lots of tasks an hourly employee being paid in excess of $15.00 and hour could be required to do along with watching the gate. Somehow I don't feel this is a boat that needs to be rocked. I haven't seen many posts on gate guarding where the guards are unhappy or forced to be there.
Everyone DOING the job that has posted expressed my feelings for sure. IF the OIL COMPANY is making so much PROFIT the Union Fellow probably has his retirement invested in OIL so they can pay him!!!
It seems to me that most of US are between 60 and 80 years old and that takes us back to the years where we worked and I mean worked for $1 an hour + or - . Were glad to get a job to pay for schooling and support a family/self. So now we are doing something we enjoy, 75% the time or better, giving dust, wind, rain, cold the other 20% and then maybe just a bad day for 2% and 3% just because!!! IF we did not then we would move down the road on our wheels and say I experienced that. But like brothers, we may talk and complain to each other, just let someone from outside the "family" attack what we express differently!!! You have the answer above!!!
UNIONS got this country into a lot of todays problems. Look at GM that we investors lost 100% of our investment $'s and the Gov. Motors was GIVEN to the UNION for VOTES!!! Give me a break do not break me, again. Each day is wonderful, and the pay is what I agreed to then found out many of the "benefits" that came out of being a GG and no travel to work and sleep in my own bed each night, plus ++++.
So if you have not done it, nor does it sound good too you, just go do something else and let us smile daily and expecially every two weeks!
I wonder if the Union person had the UNION job when Boeing told the last person out of Seattle to flip the light switch!!!! South Carolina I believe it was turned on the LIGHT...NO UNION. Careful what one wishes for.
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GGup
SE, South Dakota
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glenntwo wrote:Are you getting a signal with your Virgin Mobile? If you are, then what you need to do is go to Radio Shack and get one of their smart phones and get a wi-fi app for it. I have the LG Optimus V (droid phone)on their network and it's great. Downloaded an app for wifi that was free, and now whenever I want to use my laptop, I just crank up the wifi on my phone. As long as I have a Cell signal, I can get wifi.
No WiFi here at all. So went with Hughes Net and can use equipment I have w/o purchase of a phone, etc.
Thanks for the info.
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glenntwo
Nowhere
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Joined: 08/18/2008
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GGup wrote:glenntwo wrote:Are you getting a signal with your Virgin Mobile? If you are, then what you need to do is go to Radio Shack and get one of their smart phones and get a wi-fi app for it. I have the LG Optimus V (droid phone)on their network and it's great. Downloaded an app for wifi that was free, and now whenever I want to use my laptop, I just crank up the wifi on my phone. As long as I have a Cell signal, I can get wifi.
No WiFi here at all. So went with Hughes Net and can use equipment I have w/o purchase of a phone, etc.
Thanks for the info.
What about cell signal? That's where you would be getting the wifi from. It's an application that allows you to use the data plan on your phone as your wifi. As long as you have cel signals, you have wifi. It may be a bit slow in a bad signal area, but you will still have it.
BTW, anyone with a BlackBerry or an Iphone can do it too, not just Droids. But you have to have a smart phone and a data plan. The old phones just won't cut it.
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The Texan
Home ... Toquerville, UT .. Summer ... Cascade, ID
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Many people don't understand, there are MANY places in the US that do not have cell service and a lot of those are here in Texas. We get service here, but friends less than 10 air miles west, have NO cell service. Last year in an area near Runge, we had no cell service for 54 days and even when the company provided us with an amplifier, it was hit and miss. The only guaranteed way to insure internet service, is satellite, like we have.
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Ajones42
South Texas Puckerbrush
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Joined: 11/17/2006
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gktsuda1956 wrote:I don't mean to be a jerk, but I think all you gate guards are being taken advantage of. Of course they're gonna stop by and give you turkeys and hams, etc. Cause they are getting good CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP labor. Labor that's not even minimum wage for some of you.
They have SCORED BIG TIME, finding a segment of the population, retired RVers, etc., they can take advantage of. They're laughing all the way to the bank. They got you guys sitting in the mud, heat, dust for peanuts.
These gate guard threads usually take a nasty turn when someone decides the whole concept is offending to him -- personally. Invariably the offended person has zilch experience yet they are extremely outspoken in their opinion. A comparison would be the clerk at the 7-11 telling an auto mechanic or a heart surgeon how to run their business.
Internet commandos is what I call 'em and I go as much use for these folks as I do poison ivy.
Let me tell you my deal.... My wife and I are not retired and I made decent money doing what I did. My wife has a 70% physical disability that precludes her from a normal office job or any job that requires long periods of sitting or standing. She does not receive any disability payments. Sitting around not earning any money or being able to make any meaningful contributions to speak of just sucks and wreaks havoc on your self-esteem. We figured she can do this gate guard thing and I quit my job. Together we make less than I did alone BUT life sure is better.
Everybody has a story or a reason they are gate guards. Unless you have gotten up to answer that bell in the middle of a cold night or stood out in the blazing cauldron that is a Texas summer checking these guys in and out; you have no business even to think about being judgmental.
Fulltiming in a 2010 Puma 30RKSS
1993 Dolphin 32D -> Destroyed by hail April 2013
Gate Guards in the South Texas Pucker Brush
My Old RV
Oil Field Gate Guard Forum
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DianneOK
Donnelly, ID
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Joined: 03/19/2004
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Moderator note....if this thread degenerates into a shouting match and/or union recruitment, it will be closed.
So far this has been a great way to gather info and learn about the work. Let's keep it that way.
DianneOK, moderator
Dianne (and Terry) (Fulltimed for 9 years)
Donnelly, ID
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